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North County Food Bank

About the North County Food Bank

In October 2015, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank acquired the North County Food Bank. The acquisition has enabled both food banks to meet previously unmet need in North County and expands our network of nonprofit distribution partners to more than 400. With additional resources from the acquisition, the North County Food Bank is now serving 30,000 more people every month in communities throughout North County.

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and the North County Food Bank, together, feed 400,000 people per month in communities throughout San Diego County. Both food banks distribute food through a network of 400 nonprofits that operate feeding programs.

The North County Food Bank distributes food to 112 North County-based nonprofit partners that collect food from its warehouse facility in San Marcos, and they distribute the food directly to people in need in communities throughout North County.

Hunger and Poverty in North County

1.2 million people live in North County which accounts for one-third of San Diego County’s population. The poverty rate in North County ranges from 10.3% to 20%, while the county’s average poverty rate is 14.7%. Several cities in North County have poverty rates exceeding 10%. (See the chart below.)

North County City

Poverty Rate

Escondido

19.8%

Vista

16.6%

San Marcos

15.9%

Oceanside

13.8%

Carlsbad

10.3%

North County’s Population Has a High Percentage of Working-poor Families and Dependent Age Groups

In the North County Inland region, 20% of working-age individuals have not earned a high school diploma or equivalency while 24.9% of households earn less than $35,000 per year, and 52% earn less than $75,000. North County also has a larger than average percentage of people in dependent age groups. Children make up 25% of the population, and seniors over the age of 65 make up 12% of the population.

Demand for Food Assistance

Due to our region’s high cost of living, tens of thousands of low-income families, including low-income military families, and fixed-income seniors rely on our food banks to put food on the table. Of the 400,000 people served monthly, 28,000 are low-income military personnel and their dependents; 10,000 are fixed-income seniors; over 100,000 live at or near the poverty level and receive assistance through our Emergency Food Assistance Program; and 1,633 are elementary school children living in poverty who receive weekend backpacks full of food through our Food 4 Kids Backpack Program in 11 school districts in the San Diego County.

Serving Low-income Military Families

Last year, the Food Bank served more than 28,000 low-income veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their dependents every month. For many low-income military families, San Diego County’s high cost of living makes it difficult to put nutritious food on the table. These families struggle with our region’s high rent, utilities, and food prices. In addition, military spouses have an unemployment rate of nearly 30% which is due in part to frequent relocation. In San Diego County, we distributed more than 700,000 pounds of food to low-income military families last year. The North County Food Bank and Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank actively serve low-income military personnel stationed at Camp Pendleton, MCAS Miramar, and Naval Base San Diego.

Click on the PDF below to download the full North County Food Bank 2016 Hunger-Relief Programs document.

North County Hunger Initiative

The North County Food Bank has launched our North County Hunger Initiative to mobilize critical community support to expand hunger-relief services for the tens of thousands of North County residents living in poverty who desperately need our help. The Initiative has four key components:

- Raising awareness about hunger and poverty in North County.

- Engaging community leaders to support the mission of the North County Food Bank.

- Mobilizing companies, philanthropic foundations, faith-based groups, and an army of volunteers to support the North County Food Bank’s mission.

- Raising $350,000 to fund the North County Food Bank’s services to distribute more food to under-served communities throughout North County.

Click on the PDF below to download the full North County Hunger Initiative document.